Display case



Apr. 10, 1923.

L. M. SAWIN DISPLAY CASE Original Filed June 11, 1920 IIZVQRZO? zeaieriiidazu Patented Apr. 10, 1923.

UNITED FFIC.

DISPLAY CASE.

Application filed June 11, 1920, Serial No. 388,262. Renewed August 16, 1922. Serial No. 582,300.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, LESTER M. SAWIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Display Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in display cases for confectionery or the like.

The object of my invention is to provide a sanitary display case for merchandise.

A further object is to provide in a device of this class means for facilitating the removal of the contents.

I provide a container that is particularly adapted to facilitate handling and displaying merchandise such nuts and candy by retail dealers.

The design of my container is such that the product to be sold is kept unusually free from dust and when empty it may be easily taken apart and washed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved display case; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the diaphragm and regulating gate and Fig. 4: is a plan view of my device with the cover removed.

In the drawings I have used the numeral 1 to represent the main body or container of my device, 2 the cover, 3 the diaphragm, 4; the tray and 5 the door.

The main body 1 is a cylindrical glass container having a substantially rectangular opening 6 near the bottom in one side and being open at the top. A notch 6 in one of the vertical edges of the opening 6 is provided to engage the door 5 in the open position as hereinafter described. 4 The lower edge of the opening 6 has a bevel 6 against which a projection 5 on the door 5 abuts when said door is closed. The side 1 (Fig. 1) of the body 1 will be designated as the front.

The door 5 is slidably mounted over the opening 6 by means of guides 7. The guides 7 are portions of the door 5 which are bent inwards and around the vertical edges of the opening 6 as shown in Fig. 4. The door 5 is opened vertically by means of a handle 8 formed on its upper edge. The lower edge of said door is bent inwards to form a stop and also to cause the bevel 6 of the opening 6 to force the upper edge of the door firmly against the body 1 when said door is closed.

The diaphragm 3 is provided to divide phragm is partially closed by anadjustable gate 10, said gate being secured to the under side of the diaphragm 3 by a wing bolt 11. A slot 12 in the diaphragm permits adjustment of the opening 9 by the bolt 1-1 and gate 10. v

The tray 4 is loosely suspended from the upper periphery of the body '1 by' a flange l formed integral with said tray. A series of partitions 13 divide the tray 4 into a plurality of compartments for measured quantities of merchandise.

The cover 2 is of glass, and is held. on the flange 4 of the tray 4 by an annular lip 14 which extends into said tray. A knob 2 formed at the top ofsaid cover is provided to facilitate removal.

To fill my case with merchandise the cover 2 and tray 4: are removed and the compartment of the body 1 above the diaphragm 3' is filled to the level of the bottom of the tray 4:. The tray is now replaced and its compartments filled with merchandise in packages of popular or convenient size and the cover 2 is replaced. When thus filled the case is placed so that the side 1 of the body 1 is visible to customers, the door 5 being accessible to the clerk or salesman.

The aperture 9 permits a small amount of the contents of the compartment above the diaphragm to pass into the compartment adjacent to the door 5. When it is desired to remove some of the merchandise the door 5 is slid upward until the left guide 7 (Fig. 2) is opposite the notch 6 when the door is tilted slightly to the right thereby engaging said guide in said notch to hold the door 6 from falling shut. The desired amount of the contents of the case can now be easily removed from the rear compartment with a small scoop and the door 5 closed. The gate 10 is adjusted with the bolt 11 to give the proper flow of merchandise into the rear compartment. The top 2 and front 1 being of glass the contents of the case are always visible to customers while the door 5 and top 2 make both the packages and bulk contents of the case easily accessible for the salesman or clerk. lVhen the case is empty it may be cleaned with facility after removin the top 2 and tray l.

iaving described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a display case for merchandise, the combination of a container having an opening in the top thereof, and a transparent ing in the top thereof, and a transparent vfront, a partition dividing said container into upper and lower compartments, said upper compartmentextending from the top to the bottom of said container but contracted toward its base and said lower compartment having a door in the back thereof, a passageway for merchandise between said upper and lower compartment-s, a tray in said upper compartment having a plurality of partitions therein and a cover for the top of said container.

3. In a display case for merchandise, the combination of a container having an opening in the top thereof, and a transparent front, a partition dividing said container into upper and lower compartments, said upper compartment extending from the top to the bottom of said container but contracted toward its base and said lower compartment having a door in the back thereof, a passageway for merchandise between said upper and lower compartments, an adjustable gate for said passageway, and a cover for the top of said container.

4. In a display case the combination of a cylindrical container having an aperture near the bottom thereof and being open at the top, a door for said aperture, a removable diaphragm dividing said container into two compartments, an aperture in said dia phragm, an adjustable gate for said last mentioned aperture, a tray mounted inthe top of said container, and a cover for the top of said container.

5. In a display case for merchandise the combination of a container having an aperture near the bottom thereof and a transparent front, a door for said aperture, a diaphragm dividing said container into upper and lower compartments, an aperture in said diaphragm, an adjustable gate for said last mentioned aperture, a tray mounted in the top of said container and a cover for the top of said container.

6. In a display case the combination of a glass container having an aperture near the bottom thereof and being open at the top, a door slidable vertically on the sides of said aperture, a removable diaphragm dividing said container into two compartments, a passageway in said diaphragm, an adjustable gate for said passageway and a cover for the top of said container.

Whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name to this specification.

LESTER MONROE SAWIN, 

